The document describes IdeaBox, an open source innovation platform used by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to generate, incubate, and implement ideas from its staff. It discusses how CFPB built the program around IdeaBox technology, a lightweight staffing model, and a playbook of resources that other agencies can replicate. A pilot program found that communications to engage key audiences helped increase participation. IdeaBox allows staff to share ideas that are then scored and refined before being pitched to leadership for potential implementation.

1. IdeaBox An Open Source Innovation Platform
Webinar on DigitalGov.gov | October 16, 2014

2. Objectives
1.
Describe how we’ve built an innovation program to generate, incubate, and implement ideas.
2.
Discuss how other agencies can replicate this program by using our openly shared IdeaBox technology, lightweight staffing model, and playbook of resources.
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3. IdeaBox source-code has been shared freely for anybody to use and is fully customizable
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Example screenshot below (with filler text)

4. 4
What is the CFPB?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by making rules more effective, by consistently and fairly enforcing those rules, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives.

5. IdeaBox is managed by a cross-functional team that drives three workstreams

Idea generation
Create opportunities for all CFPB staff to have their ideas heard and shared

Incubation
Refine ideas to improve them and make them actionable

Navigation
Drive ideas to facilitate implementation
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6. What happens to ideas shared on IdeaBox?
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Introduced into subsequent year’s prioritization and planning
Idea Generation
Review & Routing
Scoring w/ SMEs
Refinement
Pitch Preparation
Presentation to Leadership
Targeted
Toward current priorities
Modify current work plan at office level
Broad
Open for all types ideas
Incubation – Refine ideas
Idea Generation – Uncover ideas
Navigation – Implement ideas
Quick Fix

7. 7
The process is built around user experience, collaboration, and transparency
•
Cross-functional team develops the idea for pitch to decision- makers
•
Open discussion allows colleagues to identify flaws and suggest improvements
Idea Generation
Creating opportunities for all employees share and build ideas
Incubation
Refining ideas to improve them and make them actionable
Navigation
Advancing ideas throughout implementation
User Experience
Collaboration
Transparency
•
Intuitive platform that is part of the intranet – no separate login required
Pitch to decision maker
Quick Win
Plan for next year
No go
•Scoring impact & feasibility
•Organic cross-pollination of ideas across divisions and regions
•Ideas judged on merit and built upon by peers
•Names are attached to all ideas, comments, and likes
•Common pain-points are identified and escalated via “likes”
•Users receive customized updates via comments on the idea’s page
•Author is kept involved to prevent a ‘black-box’ feeling
•Projects kept on-track by regular check-ins with offices & updates to staff
•Idea contributors have a role in the project
•Interest in an idea creates momentum for continued implementation
•Involved users become resources for the project
•Clarity on outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
Feasibility
Impact
1 2 3 4 5

8. The program and the technology developed using ‘lean’ and ‘agile’ principles
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Lean approach
to building the program and process
Agile approach
to developing the software

9. 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
5/26
6/2
6/9
6/16
6/23
6/30
7/7
7/14
7/21
7/28
8/4
8/11
8/18
8/25
9/1
9/8
9/15
9/22
Likes
Unique Likers
Ideas
23
99
22
57
43
30
8-Sep
11-Sep
14-Sep
17-Sep
21-Sep
24-Sep
Number of new likes
Usage spikes when communications are deployed
IdeaBox initially launched in pilot phase to gauge demand and refine processes
IdeaBox pilot ran from 5/27 – 9/8
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Pilot Phase
First
challenge
Challenge begins Flyers and News update
Weekly Message And Ops Digest
News Feed update

10. Communications aim to engage four key audiences within the agency through targeted value propositions
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Audience
Expected action
Value proposition
Value proposition details
CFPB staff
Share and build ideas through collaboration
Have your ideas heard and shared across the Bureau

Contribute to innovation at CFPB

Think about consumer financial issues outside your normal work

Build relationships with colleagues across the Bureau
Program Team
Keep offices & teams engaged through implementation
Drive innovation within the Bureau

Shape a culture of staff engagement and empowerment

Further develop skills in: Strategic planning, Project management, & Team-building

Gain cross-Bureau insight
Subject matter experts
Improve and advance ideas, detect infeasible ideas
Influence ideas outside your normal routine and build relationships across divisions

Cultivate innovative ideas

Build relationships with colleagues outside your office

Contribute expertise towards ideas outside your normal work
Senior leadership
Actively encourage implementation of ideas
Enrich CFPB’s culture of innovation and collaboration

Fulfill the CFPB’s core value of Innovation

Empower the workforce

Cultivate our future leaders

11. Engagement and participation from across the agency generates a variety of ideas on IdeaBox

Quick fix - Incremental improvements that can be quickly implemented.

For Scoring - Complex ideas that will be assessed for impact and feasibility and incubated by subject-matter-experts.

Matchmaker - Idea contributors are connected to the relevant office to foster cross-agency collaboration.

Grassroots - Ideas that will be implemented by idea contributors, such as a book club.

Already exists - An idea that discusses a problem that is being addressed by an existing project. 11

12. The more complex ideas are scored for impact and feasibility to guide discussion of next steps for each
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High impact and high feasibility
Major investments
Luxuries
Incremental
improvements
1 2 3 4 5
Feasibility
1 2 3 4 5
Impact
Phase 1 scoring
Meet with SMEs to incubate idea
Re-categorize
Table due to
low ROI
High impact and high feasibility
Major investments
Luxuries
Incremental improvements
Each circle represents an idea. Size indicates consensus levels among scorers. A larger scale indicates less consensus. The variation in color represents different Ideas.
Idea Scoring
Possible Next Steps
Average
Average

13. How can this model be replicated at other agencies?

Technology CFPB has shared the source-code for IdeaBox openly at http://cfpb.github.io/

Staffing The program operates with part-time commitment from coordinators and team members

Playbook We’ve developed a playbook of tools, templates, and lessons for every phase of building the innovation initiative
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14. IdeaBox was developed in the open
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Anyone can access source code at https://github.com/cfpb/idea-box.

15. For more information, contact Monte Desai at monte.desai@cfpb.gov or Samantha Simpson at samantha.simpson@cfpb.gov.
Thank you for joining us for the webinar!